This invention relates to a toothbrush having light interactive features, the toothbrush including a light source and light paths which yield a plurality of light points spaced apart on surface portions of the handle, or the head or both, of a toothbrush.
Known illuminated toothbrush constructions include an enlarged handle housing circuitry for powering small light bulbs mounted in the handle wall to form a plurality of light points on the surface of the toothbrush. This is seen in U.S. Pat. No. 5,339,479 issued to Lyman, and U.S. Pat. 4,845,796 issued to Mosley. The purpose of such a construction is, at least partially, to motivate children to brush their teeth, as the pinpoints or discrete areas of light are deemed to add an element of interest and novelty to the brushing process. While apparently successful in carrying out this motivational purpose, these known toothbrushes are somewhat bulky and not similar to a conventional toothbrush configuration, thereby possibly evoking possible consumer resistance to their purchase.
Conventional toothbrushes may be manufactured by any one of several technologies currently available. The body itself may be injection molded in a single or multistep process. While certain of the bristles may be attached to the head of the toothbrush by staples as is conventional, the bristle bars, scoops and other densely packed bristles generally must be attached using newer staple-free technology such as fusion, or injection molding. Injection molding is presently preferred. Fusion technology, whereby the brush body is preformed then softened and the bristle tufts are melted and fused to the softened brush body is also useful.
Injection molding is carried out on conventional machinery such as those published in the following patents, each of which is expressly incorporated herein by reference: U.S. Pat. No. 4,430,039, issued Feb. 7, 1984; U.S. Pat. No. 4,580,845, issued Apr. 8, 1986; U.S. Pat. No. 5,143,425, issued Sep. 1, 1992; and U.S. Pat. No. 5,390,984, issued Feb. 21, 1995.
Other useful techniques for attaching bristles to a body, such as thermoforming, fusion, welding, and the like, are illustrated in the following patents, which are expressly incorporated herein by reference: U.S. Pat. No. 4,109,965, issued Aug. 29, 1978; U.S. Pat. No. 4,619,485 issued Oct. 28, 1986; U.S. Pat. No. 4,637,660 issued Jan. 20, 1987; U.S. Pat. No. 4,646,381 issued Mar. 3, 1987; U.S. Pat. No. 4,892,698 issued Jan. 9, 1990; U.S. Pat. No. 5,045,267 issued Sep. 3, 1991; U.S. Pat. No. 4,988,146 issued Jan. 29, 1991; and U.S. Pat. No. 5,224,763 issued Jul. 6, 1993.
Staple-free attachment results in no holes in the brush body, where water could collect and bacteria and germs grow. Most preferred is supplying the bristles to an injection mold, and injection molding the brush body around the bristles for a tight fit. The rubber grips may be injection molded over the body. Other variants include a compact head version wherein the head is no more than 2.25 cm, wherein the head is substantially shorted. Also contemplated is a full head variant having a head of about 2.5 to 3.5 cm. Bristles of varying length, stock, stiffness and thickness all are contemplated.